Proof (comics)
Proof is an American comic book series, published by Image Comics and created by writer Alex Grecian and artist Riley Rossmo. The story concerns John "Proof" Prufrock, a sasquatch, who works for a secret government organization. He hunts cryptids with his partner, Ginger Brown, and seeks clues to his past. The book was influenced by The X-Files and characters such as Tarzan.The Province The first issue was released on October 24, 2007.Cryptomundo.com » Proof: New CZ Comic Book Publication history The character of Proof first appeared in "Berserker", a short story published in Negative Burn #7 (December 2006). The black-and-white story, also created by Alex Grecian and Riley Rossmo, shows Proof's battle with a skinwalker. Besides his own title, Proof also appeared in 2008's Image Monster Pile-Up, a one-shot anthology comic that also featured The Astounding Wolf-Man, The Perhapanauts, and Firebreather. Plot The first arc, "Goatsucker", concerns a cryptid attack in Minnesota that appears to be the work of a Bigfoot-like creature. The plot also details the transfer of Ginger Brown, a young female agent, from the F.B.I to a secret organization called The Lodge. Once employed, Brown discovers that her partner is John "Proof" Prufrock, a Bigfoot who works in secret for the U.S. government. Brown's first case with The Lodge concerns El Chupacabra, a monster who masquerades as human by wearing the skin of its victims. Ginger and Proof also encounter a number of cryptozoological fauna, including jackalopes, a golem, and the Cottingley Fairies.Proof on paper that Bigfoot exists, Edmonton Journal, October 27, 2008 The second arc, "The Company of Men", follows Proof as he attempts to save a juvenile dinosaur from poachers in the Congo. Proof and Ginger will also encounter creatures such as the Loch Ness monster and The Kraken.The "Proof" Is Out There: Grecian Talks New Image Series, Comic Book Resources, September 6, 2007 The third arc is called "Thunderbirds Are Go!" and features dual main plots: Ginger and Elvis journey to New York City to find Joe the golem, while Proof investigates sightings of condor-like thunderbirds in rural Illinois. "Thunderbirds Are Go!" guest-stars The Savage Dragon, another Image Comics character. Characters *'Proof': John Prufrock is a Bigfoot who works for The Lodge, a secret organization located in Washington. As a Bigfoot, he is vastly larger and more powerful than a human being. Proof is exceptionally cultured for a feral beast; he is often seen wearing expensive suits and custom-made shoes. *'Ginger Brown': A young FBI agent, Brown is transferred to The Lodge after a fateful encounter with a golem in New York City. She is young and brash, and does not know what to make of Proof, who is her new partner. *'Leander Wight': The aged and wise manager of The Lodge. He is kindly, but mysterious. *'Elvis Aaron Chesnut': A small-town sheriff who ends up joining The Lodge during the "Goatsucker" arc. *'Wayne Russet': The gameskeeper of The Lodge. Wayne is Proof's best friend, and a surrogate 'mother' to many of the cryptids of The Lodge. *'Autumn Song': The hard-hearted assistant to Wayne. *'Mi-Chen Po': A mysterious yeti who has plans for Proof and Ginger. *'Colonel Werner Dachshund': A villainous poacher who kills and devours cryptids. Cryptids Many fanciful creatures inhabit the world of Proof. While most harmlessly occupy the free-range habitat of The Lodge, several hostile cryptids run free in the wild and must be captured. These captures drive Proof's main plot. *'Joe': An apparent golem living in New York City, Joe defends the city's Jewish population. *'The Dover Demon': An enigmatic and gangly creature, the Demon can foretell the future. *'Nadine': Also known as El Chupacabra or The Mexican Bigfoot, Nadine skins humans and wears their skins as a disguise. *'Passenger pigeons': Birds, long thought extinct, which live in seclusion in The Lodge's habitat. *'dodos': The last of their species, the friendly dodos live in The Lodge. *'Jackalopes': These horned rabbits are kept with the dodos. *'The Cottingley Fairies': Vicious beasts that resemble small winged women, they are kept behind glass for the safety of the staff. Three male fairies (gigantic in size) are kept in seclusion. *'Gnomes': Tiny, meat-eating creatures that resemble senior citizens. *'Brownies': Hairy little creatures with hostile intent. *'Mokele-mbembe': Apatosaurus-like dinosaurs that live harmlessly in The Congo. *'Thunderbirds': Gigantic, vulture-like birds that are capable of snatching children. Collected editions The series is being collected into trade paperback: * Goatsucker (collects Proof #1-5, 128 pages, June 2008, ISBN 1582409943) * The Company Of Men (collects Proof #6-9, 128 pages, December 2008, ISBN 1607060175) See also * Hellboy, a demon who hunts monsters for the B.P.R.D. a covert government agency. *B.P.R.D., a spin-off of Hellboy which focuses more on the para-military aspect of the Hellboy world. Team members include: Abe Sapien (a merman), Liz Sherman (a pyrokinetic), Roger (a homunculus), Ben Daimino (a zombie, of sorts), Panya (a mummy), & Johann (a disembodied medium). *The Perhapanauts, a government-run team of monster hunters, who include a Bigfoot and Chupacabra *''X-Files'' comic *U.T.F., a government-run team of monster hunters External links * [http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=139470 The first issue of Proof online] at Newsarama * Grecian & Rossmo Establish "Proof", Comic Book Resources, October 16, 2008 Category:Image Comics superheroes Category:Image Comics supporting characters Category:Fictional characters with superhuman strength Category:2007 comic debuts Category:2007 comics characters debuts